Creating Valentine's Day
by Talliya
Summary: The struggle Vincent goes through for Reeve to declare Valentine's Day a thing.


**_I do not own any right to Final Fantasy 7 except the right to enjoy it! This work was not done for profit._**

Vincent looked up at the clock, a frown marring his brow; it was already two hours into the new day. He'd gotten no sleep through the night for all the nightmares his current whereabouts instilled in him. This anesthetic lab that Lucrecia had stashed him in brought back memories better left undisturbed. The cold sterilized steel cot he sat on was across the windowless room from the door. The only exit he had been able to find when he'd feared enough to look for one – three days after Lucrecia had 'hid' him here. The clock that told him the hours he had been there if not the actual time of day, was above the door and the lighting was controlled by a switch by the door... on the side he could no longer get to. Vincent wasn't sure how he wasn't starving or at least thirsty – he no longer had Chaos or the others to sustain him after all – and he had been trapped in this small lab for five days already. Perhaps he'd died and he just didn't realize it yet, or perhaps he had simply gone crazy. He had stayed awake for the last twenty-eight hours in order to determine if someone came in and gave him food and water by I.V. while he slept, fitful though that sleep was. But no one had been by and his eyes were beginning to sag. His age showing through the years of Turk training and syncing up with 'demons'. With a groan at the inevitable his head thunked back against the wall and he drifted to sleep.

Cid had been grumpier than usual the last three days, no one was entirely sure why, but Shera could well guess that it had to do with Vincent Valentine. Cid had told her that his best man had gone off with "that crazy scientist lady he was always mooning over" and may not be back in time for their wedding. Shera knew however that her and Cid's wedding would not happen if Vincent was not there. So when the date passed by and there was no news from the ex-Turk Shera went about and told all of the guests that their wedding was postponed until Vincent could be found. Once the heroes of Gaia heard that one of their ranks was missing, they instantly set out to find him.

It was Tifa who first called in with any news, and Shera set about making tea for Cid so that he might actually sit long enough to listen to her news. Setting the cup in front of the gruff man she had come to love, not bothering to comment on the cigarette hanging unlit and forgotten from his lip she smiled weakly at him. It had killed him that the others wouldn't let him search for his best friend, but he'd conceded the point that one of them should remain in Rocket Town in case the gunslinger showed up. It never crossed his overly worried mind that it didn't have to be him.

Cid looked up with a half-smile and a nod for her efforts with the tea before flicking the cigarette from his mouth and taking a sip. Shera smiled fondly at him before sitting across from him with her own tea. "Tifa called," Cid's head jerked up, "a little bit ago. She found Lu's body outside a cave at Mt. Nibel. She called everyone in to help her search the cave systems." Cid raised a brow, "She asked that you meet them all there as well so that they can all return here at the same time."

Cid downed his tea and slapped his thigh, "'Bout damn time! You comin' love?"

Shera's eyes lit up at the question and she nodded, "Of course!" She didn't get t go on many adventures with them and was glad that Cid wasn't going to leave her out again. Shera quickly finished her own tea and then she and Cid piled into The Shera. She would never forget how proud she was when Cid named the giant ship after her. Cid piloted them out to the old Nibel Reactor and set the ship down.

Disembarking they were greeted by Nanaki and Deneh, "Follow us Cid. We think we may have found the correct cave." Nanaki turned and they all ran down the mountain a ways to a large cavern that was filled with crates upon crates of explosives and scientific equipment.

"Oh good! You're here." Tifa waved them over to an opening on the far side, "This way, there's a dead end back here with what I think is a light switch. But it doesn't do anything out here when it's flipped."

Curious Cid and Shera followed Tifa down the long corridor past several open doorways where members of the WRO could be seen taking stock of everything and testing walls for hidden doors or compartments. The corridor made a left turn and abruptly ended. In the middle of the rock wall there was what appeared to be a light switch. Shera's scientific mind set to work as Cid's frustration had him flicking the switch up and down over and over in an attempt to make it /do/ something. After a few minutes they could hear a muffled pounding from the other side of the door. Cid flipped the switch back to the 'on' position and laid his ear against the rock, motioning for everyone one else to be still and silent...

Vincent couldn't believe it when the flashing lights brought him to wakefulness several hours after sleep had won him over. He'd initially thought that perhaps the lights were finally dying from having been on so long. But then they would stay off or on for longer stints of time. He thought about the strange pauses between the rapid flickerings and decided that it wasn't a code, but there was obviously someone on the other side of that door. Someone who very obviously didn't know what the light switch was for. Rising from the cot he crossed the room in the flickering light and began kicking the door as hard as he could with his metal boots. The light winked out for what Vincent hoped was a startled pause before coming back on again. he waited a moment debating on whether to risk whatever and whoever was out there or simply stay in that lab and rot. He began kicking the door again – anything was better than staying in this lab!

...hearing the banging again they all looked at each other, then Shera pounded a fist onto a palm with a decisive nod of her head. She walked up to the wall and said clearly, "Project Chaos, Subject Vincent Valentine. Proceed with testing." A portion of the wall swung out at them, nearly taking Cid and Shera down. When they recovered there stood a bedraggled Vincent with his foot still raised back to slam into the door.

"Vincent!" Tifa cried out causing everyone close enough to hear her to come running.

The door swung open and for a moment Vincent was shocked, he hadn't truly been expecting anything to happen. Then he heard Tifa yell his name and saw Cid and Shera before him and promptly fainted, a slight smile on his face.

Cid was the first to react when Vincent crumpled to the floor, speeding to the man's side and hefting his lanky form into his arms. Shera's worried face came to his elbow, looking up into Vincent's pale face where it rested against his shoulder.

"He looks extremely dehydrated and he probably hasn't had food in a while either." Her worried hazel eyes looked to Tifa's worried sherry.

The brunette nodded and turned to Yuffie who had come up beside her, "Tell everyone that we've found him but he needs medical attention." Yuffie nodded quickly and scampered off. "Let's get him out of these caves."

Cid nodded and followed Tifa back outside where they were met by Reeve with several Mountain Chocobos. They loaded up and headed for the Shera.

A week later Vincent opened his eyes to find himself in a small cot beside an open window letting in the sun and a cool ocean breeze. He sighed contentedly before looking around him. He spied Yuffie and Shera curled up on a sofa across the sparse space and then noticed Cid slumped in a chair next to his bed, drooling on the pillow beside his head. The ravenette chuckled a bit, the sound grating at his dry throat.

The harsh sound brought Deneh in through the open doorway to the hall, "Finally awake? I'll get the doctor." Her voice carried great concern and happiness before her fiery tail flicked out the door.

A few minutes later a doctor came in with a large glass of water and a bowl full of jello, "If you can keep the jello down Mr. Valentine I'll bring you some soup in an hour." He placed both glass and bowl on a small side table and carefully helped Vincent into a sitting position – careful not to disturb the Captain or the I.V.s. "I'll leave the I.V.'s in for now as well. You gave everyone quite the scare. You've been here at Junon Central Hospital for a week now. You don't know how good it is to see you awake."

Vincent smiled at him, not trusting his voice to work properly. The doctor set up a tray table and put the jello and water on it and pulled out a spoon, "If you need anything your friends Nanaki and Deneh are just outside the door, they'll let a nurse or I know."

Vincent nodded again and the doctor left. Vincent picked up the water glass and took a careful sip, it had something extra in it that began instantly to soothe his sore throat. He downed about half the glass before attacking his jello. The strawberry flavored mix was gone in a matter of seconds and he went back to sipping his water. An hour later he was still awake and he was starving, so the doctor brought him soup and while he was eating it the others in the room awoke.

Yuffie bounded to his side once she saw that he was awake and punched him in the shoulder, "No more going off on your own old man! You have a partner for a reason you know!" Said partner was huffy and indignant with her arms crossed over her chest as she chastised him.

Vincent smirked, "You're just upset because you weren't the one who found me."

Yuffie gave an infuriated hmph and stomped her foot like the child she no longer was, "As if!" But the words held no real conviction as tears danced in her tawny eyes.

"I'm sorry Yuffie. I won't leave you behind again." Vincent's voice was low and sincere. Yuffie simply nodded and sniffed before leaving the room to let everyone else know that Vincent was okay. Vincent looked over to Cid and Shera, "Sorry I missed your wedding."

Shera shook her head with a smile and Cid guffawed and slapped his knee. "You didn't miss anything Vincent, we couldn't have a proper wedding without the best man present." Shera's cheerful soprano explained.

Vincent blinked dumbly for a second before tears filled his eyes. A month later Vincent stood proudly beside Cid and Reeve as they watched Tifa and Yuffie walk up the isle before Shera's big entrance. All of them were beautiful in soft yellow summer dresses – even Shera's frothy concoction was made of soft yellow lace. When the ceremony was over and they all retired to the Highwind's backyard for the after party and dinner – a BBQ that Barret and Cloud were in charge of – Reeve stood and made a grand speech: "On this day we celebrate not only the joining of two well-loved friends in marriage but the health of another." He pointed his raised glass at Shera and Cid then Vincent in turn, "While Professor Crescent will be missed," Here some heads bowed in respect and Cid had trouble not making a snarky comment, "The WRO and the ShinRa Corporation have decided to commemorate her work and the achievements of one Vincent Valentine with a memorial in Nibelheim and the creation of the holiday to be known as Valentine's Day."

A roar of applause went up and Vincent blushed, not caring for such grandiose gestures. He had buried the woman he had loved and respected for years in the last weeks, learning from Tifa that it seemed whatever had kept Lucrecia in her crystal stasis for so long had drained the woman more than she had let on. Apparently she had gone crazy from the stress and guilt she felt and had taken Vincent to that last place that still needed cleansing in order for them all to find and fix it. She had shot herself after trapping Vincent in that room. Lucrecia had left a note for them explaining things as best a demented mind could. He still thought fondly of her but with the proof that she was really gone his heart finally began to ease.

"Why so glum Vinny?" Yuffie's voice broke through his reverie and he smiled up at her.

"Sorry, just thinking." Yuffie pouted at his lack of a real answer but was stopped from pushing for one as music started playing. She turned to watch as Cid and Shera took to the dance floor set up in their yard. Soon they were joined by Tifa and Cloud and Barret with Marlene. Vincent looked up from the dance floor to Yuffie and stood up, "Would you care to dance Miss Kisaragi?"

Yuffie turned to him with stars in her eyes, "I'd love to Mr. Valentine."

She took his offered hand and they joined their friends on the dance floor. A year later Yuffie started the Valentine's Day tradition of giving cards and sweets to those you love... Vincent was rather annoyed at having to put so much effort into a day named after him, but he'd do just about anything for his wife.


End file.
